Motorcycle guys (long ago) addressed comfort with heated grips, suits, gloves etc.. The small airplane guys need to catchup in my opinion. Including me! We even have lightweight 60 amp alternators running at 2300 RPMs all day long.

I was thinking about this yesterday. If I was to build an experimental, I'd have the seats upholstered with integrated seat heaters, and have the grip on my stick heated. I don't think it adds that much current draw, not a safety factor, and heck, I live in Canada, it gets cold up here!

A1Skinner wrote:I was thinking about this yesterday. If I was to build an experimental, I'd have the seats upholstered with integrated seat heaters, and have the grip on my stick heated. I don't think it adds that much current draw, not a safety factor, and heck, I live in Canada, it gets cold up here!

We have a lot to learn from enthusiastic motorcyclists. Opinion.

Not much for flyin in this part of TX today

Freezing fog in effect

I would not even drive a car! Spooky for sure, from what see.

Thanks for all the help. The weather this morning was 23 and dry. Clouds at about 5000 overcast.

When I got to the hangar I bent a hanger to hold 2 of the small metal halide lamps across the the cowl air outlet.



Draped a blanket over the cowl and stuffed into the cowl inlets. Left these on for 30-45 minutes. I needed about 1/2 quart of oil, so I set it on the dash of the jeep and set the defroster on high and waited until it was toasty. Added the oil and fired her up. I'm not sure how warm the engine got, but I could feel the heat with my hand.

My son and I flew up to see RWM and buzzed Sterling City deer for a couple hours. Great flight that I am not sure I would have taken if not for the help.



RWM in a buffalo wallow.

You're probably not going to harm anything starting a cold soaked engine at + 23 F.

That said, when pre-heating, remember that the expensive and really critical part of that engine is its core. So, it's not how warm the outside is, but rather how warm the crankshaft, bearings, etc are. Long slow heat is good....it takes a while for that heat to reach the center of the engine. Be patient, in other words. In cases where I had to use a blast heater like a Herman Nelson to pre heat, I'd run the heater for an appropriate period of time, then wrap the engine up in its insulated cover and go get a cup of coffee to let that heat normalize through the engine.

Finally, cool starts are what multi viscosity oils are all about. You can do a lot of damage cold starting an engine with sludge for oil.

For several years I flew a Husky in northern AK and I went down to the auto accessory store and bought seat heaters. Pulled the seat cushions out, took off the covers, glued the heater pads to the cushions (one each for bottom and back) then had a mechanic wire in a 12 volt plug next to each seat to plug the heaters in. Worked great, and I was questioned once by FAA type as to what basis we used for this installation. My response was "temporary installation". End of conversation.

MTV

MTV. That makes sense. Gotta get the heat to the center of the turkey, takes awhile:)

Was supposed to fly 182 down to St. Paul early this morning for a meeting. -26F passed and drove... less work.

BRD wrote:Was supposed to fly 182 down to St. Paul early this morning for a meeting. -26F passed and drove... less work.

Have you seen the Mississippi River? Just curious if it's solid yet?

Up here in Brainerd its frozen - was down in St. Paul for a meeting and it looked like this today:





(airport with the neglected tie down denizens was South St. Paul - Fleming field. Wipline's home)

BRD wrote:Up here it is - St. Pail looked like this today:

Wow!!! I was there in the Summer. Swimming and cruising around a few years ago.

The airport looks totally different!

8GCBC wrote:

BRD wrote:Up here it is - St. Pail looked like this today:

Wow!!! I was there in the Summer. Swimming and cruising around a few years ago.

The airport looks totally different!

Navion and cessna's barking at the moon and the pipers just sittin there lookin ahead!!

In a previous post I talked about blankets/old sleeping bags/ etc. to wrap engine. I also talked about insulating the prop blades ( and hub). It works well for the long soak-in heat, using light bulb heat as the heat source.
One thing I want to mention is NOT to do this for days at a time without tight thick insulation of the prop/hub ( don't know if I would then unless very dry climate).
I did not find this out first hand, but have heard it as "fact" often enough through the decades I believe and adhere to it. If your cowl and engine are toasty, and the prop and hub are cold, you will get condensation, then rust on the front crank bearings, especially in a damp climate in very short order.
It is also very important when motor is run to get it up to "operating temperature" long enough to drive the water in the oil out of the breather tube. The water is there in the oil as a by product of combustion gases which condense in the oil when the motor is warming up to operating temperature. If running/flying is done without driving the moisture out of the oil, rust/corrosion happens when the engine sits. After a cold flight I put on all the insulation on I use during heating up the engine. That way the motor cools down slowly making it a lot less likely for internal condensation. AND it is ready to drop by the hangar and plug the lights in quickly for a next day flight. Or, to turn on by remote cell phone switch.
Be sure the bulbs are still good before you button everything up, too. This treatment seems to shorten the lives of the bulbs. Also make sure the trouble lights and all cords are in great shape since it will be unattended overnight, and you likely are not wanting a hangar fire!

Just passing it along, it is a very expensive mistake to make.....

M6RV6 wrote:

8GCBC wrote:

BRD wrote:Up here it is - St. Pail looked like this today:

Wow!!! I was there in the Summer. Swimming and cruising around a few years ago.

The airport looks totally different!

Navion and cessna's barking at the moon and the pipers just sittin there lookin ahead!!

Why are they tied down like that? I did not notice that on first take. ???

8GCBC wrote:Why are they tied down like that? I did not notice that on first take. ???

I'm betting someone just didn't sweep wings and tail, and they're just weighed down like that from the snow.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:

8GCBC wrote:Why are they tied down like that? I did not notice that on first take. ???

I'm betting someone just didn't sweep wings and tail, and they're just weighed down like that from the snow.

Gump

Thanks Gump. Makes sense to me.

Some engines have the capability of using an oil temperature thermostat called a veritherm. These are much more practical than taping over oil cooler fins/inlets. If you have the option it makes temp control easier and more effective whether hot or cold.

The Tanis/Rieff heating systems with a good insulated cover are so effective I don't see any reason to deal with light bulbs, blowers, etc. If electrical power exists there is almost no hassle. Plus these can be put on timers so you can sleep while it heats up. My engines are often warmer in the winter due to preheating than on a summer morning without heat.

Good point on the tanis/rieff. I don't have either, but I do have a oil pan heater. Works great. As you said, a lot of mornings when I fire it up the oil temp guage is up from the peg. With a sleeping bag over the cowl and tucked into the cowl plugs.
How do you guys control airflow through the cowl inlets in the winter? Make winter fronts? I have just been using grey tape. I would think closing them up some will help lessen the chances of shock cooling...